Telephone-call recorder.



F. A. LATHROP.

TELEPHONE CALL nnconnsn. APPLIGAT 0H TILED JUNE 22, 1 906.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

fig,ja ad m Cindi P. A. LATHROP.

TELEPHONE CALL RECORDER.

APPLICATION IILED JUNE 22, 1906.

1,034,807. Patented Aug. 6,1912.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 iii llglllllllllllplllllllllll \Il m e W ITNESSBSZ INVENTOR .5876W.(LW

(Lw'l I F. A. LATHROP.

TELEPHONE CALL RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22. 1906.

1 34,807. Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

9 SHEET$ SHEBT 3.

WITNEsSE's;

INVENTOR F. A. LATHROP.

TELEPHONE CALL RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZZ, 1906. 1 034,807. I

9 SHEETB8HBET 4.

1) Pl} A7.

WITNESSES.

INVENTOR gwl in? ffi.

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 6,1912.

F. A. LATHROP.

TELEPHONE CALL RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE22,1906.

1,034,807. Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

9 SHEETSVSHEET 5.

Fly?

WITNESSEfiJ INVENTOR ATTORNEY F. A. LATHROP.

TELEPHONE CALL RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1906.

1 ,O34,807, Patented Aug. 6,1912.

9 SHEETSSHEET 6.

WITNESSES'. INVENTOR ATTORNEY amid?- P. A. LATHROP.

TELEPHONE CALL RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1906.

1 ,O34,807, Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

9 SHEBTS SHEET 7.

WITNESSES. INVENTOR ATTORNEY F. A. LATHROP.

TELEPHONE CALL RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE22, 1906.

1,034,807. Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

9 SHEETS*SHEET B.

[IIILIIIF 69 Emm mn: g 5 mun /105 7001112 WITNESS: I INVENTOR ATTORNEYP. A. LATHROP.

TELEPHONE CALL RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1906 Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

9 SHEETSSHEET 9.

"F 'Jl'd w H Q, I I Rh: 77 a l 3, 5%

WITNESSE5.

ATTORNEY FRANK A. LATHROP, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

TELEPHONE-CALL RECORDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

Application, filed June 22, 1906. Serial No. 322,963.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. LATHRoP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Portland, Multnomah county, Oregon, have invented a new anduseful Telephone-Call Recorder, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had.to the accompanying drawings asconstituting a part thereof.

Telephonic communication heretofore labored under great inconvenience,because there were no means of recording the call of one subscriberdesiring to communicate with another, in case the person called-up wereabsent at the time of the call. Consequently, the call had to berepeated again and again, until the person wanted could be reached. I

The object of my invention-is to overcome such annoyance by providingmeans whereby the person using one telephone instrument and desiring tospeak with another on the same system, and the latter being absent atthe time, may leave a printed memorandum or record of the number of histelephone at the instrument of the person with whom communication isdesired, to inform the latter of such call, upon his return.

I attain my object by means of two cooperating devices, which I senderand recorder in accord with their respective functions; the former beingdesigned to transmit the number of the telephone from which the call'ismade, and the latter to record the same at the instrument of the personcalled. I furthermore devise two kinds of senders, and shall term thesemultiple .and individual in accordance with their respective purpose.The multiple sender is designed to be installed in the central oflice,in systems in which all the telephone instruments are not equipped withmy device. It has for its special purpose to enable the central. torecord a call at the instrument provided with my device. For instance,telephone number Main 7890 not equipped with my device calls number Main3456, which is equipped therewith, but receives no reply. The centralofiice thereupon transmits, through the medium of my multiple sender.the number of the phone making the call, to the recorder attached totelephone Main'3456, making there a printed record of the call. Andthus, upon the return of the user of telephone shall term Main 3456, hewould b. informed that he was desired to call up telephone number Mam7890. The second, or individual sender s so constructed as to transmitonly the number of the telephone to which it is attached, and isdesigned for systems in which each individual telephone is equipped withmy device, and thus not requiring the intervention of central in anyinstance. In this case the user of the telephone, Main 7890-for example,on receiving no reply to his call of telephone Main 3456, transmits thenumber of his telephone direct to the recorder attached to the latterinstrument, by the operation of the sender attached to his owninstrument. Nevertheless it would be a good plan to have centralequipped with a multiple sender, as an auxiliary to the individualsenders, to enable the transmission of a call where an individual senderis out of order. t

The construction and operation of my device are illustrated in thedrawings, in which, I

Figure I is a top or plan view of the multiple sender showing inparticular the keyboard arrangement thereof j the depressed keys,representing a call being-made by my device, being shaded so as to bedistinguishable from the remainder of the keys; Fig. II represents afront elevation with apart of the outer casing removed, so as to showthe interior construction; Fig. III is a longitudinal, vertical section-on a line CD of Figs. IV and V; Fig. IV is an end elevation on a lineEF of Fig. III, with the'endplate 5, removed; Fig. V is a cross-section,taken on a line AB of Fig. III, looking in the direction pointed by thearrow 3 Fig. VI is a side elevation of the recording part of my device,as a whole, part of the outer case and of the magnet being broken away,and shown in section so as to show the interior arrangement of theparts; Fig. VII is a plan, taken below a line GH of Fig. VI, of thetape-printing devices of my recorder; Fig. VIII shows a section of thetape with the call printed thereon by my recorder; Fig. IX is atransverse section, taken horizontally on a line I-J of Fig. VII, and

looking in the direction pointed by the ar- XIV, and XV are details ofsuch printing mechanism; Fig. XVI shows an elevation of my individualsender taken on a line MN of Fig. XVII, the front wall being removed;and Fig. XVII is a section, taken on a line K-L of Fig. XVI.

Referring now to the reference characters on the respective parts, anddescribing first the multiplesender:1 is a hollow, metal drum ofirregular periphery and made with a central web 2, cast with an integralsleeve 3, by which the drum is rotatably mounted on a stationary,horizontal shaft 4, supported at its ends in the headsor end-plates 5,6,

and a depression 12, also filled with insulat-- mg material, and it hasalso a tangentialcontact-segment 13. The arrangement of these detailsare best observed by comparing Figs. II, IV and V, and their purposewill appear below. In the upper part of the periphery of the drum isformed a rectangular recess 14, (see Figs. IV and V) in which iscontained a block 15, vertically slidable, and supported by twocoil-springs 16, (see Fig.

III) contained in chambers 17, by which coil-springs the block 15 isnormally lifted. The distance at which the block is so held above thebase of the recess 14 is controlled by set-crews 18.

In the upper part of the containing case 7, is secured a perforatedblock of insulating material 19, on which is fastened a metal plate 20,made with five rows of vertical, metal guide-tubes 21; four of such rowscontain ten guide-tubes each, and the other as many tubes as there areprefixes used by the telephone system in which my devices are installed.In the guide-tubes 21 are slidably held a series ofkeys 22, having metalstems provided with a small metal wheel 23, at their lower ends, andbeing provided at their upper ends with a flat disk or finger piece 24,preferably made of insulating material. The keys 22 are normallysupported by coilsprings 25, in such position as to bring the wheels 23clear above the path of the block 15. The keys are conveniently made oftubes of metal, and each thereof is provided with a bow-spring 26,having knee extremities protruding through apertures therefor made inthe stem, as shown in Fig. III. The bow-springs 26 being adapted toresist the coil-springs 25 sufiiciently to hold the keys down, whendepressed, until the latter are again lifted by the periphery of thedrum 1 bearing against the lower ends thereof and forcing thebow-springs back into the tubes, so as to allow the coll-springs 25 toreturn the keys to their normal position. Asobservable from Fig.- I, theu per four rows of keys represent numerals rom 1 to 0, respectively, andby means of these keys the operator records the numerals of the call;and the last row represent the prefix Main, Union etc., and are operatedto record that part of the call. The upper four rows of keys arearranged to be read from right to left, to enable a convenientarrangementof the printing mechanism of the recorder.

The drum 1, the bearings thereof, and the containing-case 7 are all madeto conduct electricity; and said containing-case 7, and the plate 20arecon'nected by wires 27, 28 (see Fig. II), with the source of electricenergy. The key-stems and their bearings are likewise made to conductelectricity. Thus the device, as far as described, represents a multipleswitch, normally interrupted, and the circuit is closed whenever adepressed key is in contact with any part of the uninsulated orconducting segment of the periphery of the drum.

The drum is revolved by a clock-work clevice, conveniently operated by aspring 29, and arranged as follows: One end of the spring 29 is afiixedto a pin 30, (see Fig. III) and the other end thereof is fastened to asleeve 31, rotatably mounted on the shaft 4, the extremity 31 of whichsleeve 31 is adapted to receive a key, to wind up the spring 29. Thesleeve 31 terminates in a ratchet wheel 32, integrally cast therewith,and such ratchet-wheel is engaged by a pawl 33, pivoted to a gear 34,rotatably mounted on the shaft 4, and meshing with apinion 35,

rigidly mounted on a'shaft 36, and journaled in a bearing 37, whichbearing is an integral part of the web 38 and a sleeve 39, also mountedon the shaft 4. The bearing 37 (as shown in Fig. V) is made with lateralprojections 40, 40*, by which the same is-fastened to the case 41, inwhich the spring 29 is contained. The shaft 36 has fixedly mounted onits left end a gear 42, meshing with a pinion 43, cast on the sleeve 3.On the left end ofthe sleeve 3 is cast a ratchetwheel 44, constitutingpart of an escapement, by which the rotation of the drum 1 is madeintermittent. Such escapement consists of a pendulum 45, (see Fig. IV)pivoted to the inner face of the left head 5 of the containing case 7,and made with pallets 46. The vibration of the pendulum 45 is limited bystopins 47, and the devices operate substantially as like parts in aclock-work. The purpose thereof is to control thespeed of the drum 1,while being rotated by the action of the sprln 29, relatively to thecircuitmaking and reaking efi'ect to be obtained. It is now apparentthat when the sender is at rest, the b ock 15 will project upward andbear against a stop 48, and hold the drum 1 against the propellinginfluence of the clockwork. As soon, however, as any one of the keys inthe row 24 of the key-board is depressed, the bearing thereof down u onthe block 15'will depress the latter an disen gage it from the stop 48and thus release the drum, which will then start to revolve andmake-and-break the circuit in accordance with the setting of thedepressed keys. In sending out a call, the keys must be depressed in theorder in which the call reads; e. g, to send a call Main 5680 the keyscorresponding thereto should be depressed thus: Main -6-8-0, operatingthe keys from the bottom up. In other words, the row of numerals 24 (seeFig. 1) represents the first numeral of any four-numeral call; the row24 represents the second of such four-numeral call, also the first ofany threenumeral call; the row 24 represents the third of anyfour-numeral call, also the second of a three-numeral call, and'thefirst of a two-numeral call; and the row 24 rep resents the numeral ofany single-numeral call, also the fourth in any four numeral call. If acall is to be registered consisting of only a prefix and one numeral,the latter must be registered by one of the keys in row 2?, and in therecording of every call one of the keys in row 24 must be included, soas to depress the block and release the drum. The purpose of thetangential rise in the surface of the respective peripheral sections 1,1", etc., is to lift again the key which has been depressed, whilebearing on such sections, so as to compress and disen gage the spring26, and allow the coil-spring to act and return the depressed key to itsnormal position.

I will next describe the recorder part of my device which iselectrically connected with and operated by the make-andbreakcircuitdevices of the sender.

The construction of the recorder may be observed from Figs. VI to XV,and consists of the following parts: On a hollow base or case 48 ismounted a soft-iron cylinder 49. Within the latter is contained a coreor round bar of soft-iron 50, having a winding of insulated wire 54, theends of which (54, 54*) are connected with one of the terminals of thesender and the circuit, respectively. The core is bored out half itslength so as to reciprocably hold a hollow brass-stem 51, carrying asoft-iron disk 52, and normally projected by a coil-spring In the endsof the cylinder 49 are inserted perforated insulating disks 55 (only onebeing seen) covering the ends of the winding of wire 54; the ends of thecore 50, projecting through such-disks 55. As apparent, theparts'described constitute an electro-magnet of which the disk 52 is thearmature, hereinafter termed the primary armature. To the opposite endof the cylinder 46 there is hinged a second disk of soft-iron 56,constituting a secondary armature. Thus when the electric circuit isclosed for an interval, by the operation of the keys-of the sender asmentioned, the primary armature 52 will be drawn against the end of thecore 50, and will be repelled again, by the action of the coil-spring53, as soon as the circuit is interrupted by the depressed key passinover an insulating strip in the periphery o the drum of the sender. Theresultant reciprocation of the disk 52 I utilize to operate my printingmechanism, so as to bring into printing position the type of theproperprefixand numeral to be imprinted on a tape of paper, and to readas shown in Fig. VIII.

The printing mechanism consists of the case 48 in which is journaled theaxle 57 of a spool 57, on which is wound a band of tape 58, the outerend of which is led over a rotatable type-Wheel 59, journaled on a pin60. The type-wheel 59 has on its periphery type-bars 59, representingthe numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, O, and the ten prefix-words. Thetype-wheel is controlled by a spring 65, (see Fig. 9) so as to always bereturned to its initial position, and it is stopped in its initialposition by the lug 59", projecting from the base of the type-wheel,abutting against a pin 48". Said type-wheel is further provided with aratchet-wheel 61 and the armature or disk 52 is connected by a member 52with a rod 62, the outer extremity of which is held in engagement withthe ratchet-wheel 61, by a spring 64, and is held in horizontal positionby a movable guide-arm 63. See detail of latter Fig. XII; the rod 62resting on the member 63", of such guide-arm 63. The type-wheeloperating parts are so arranged that each movement of the disk 52 willmove the ratchet-wheel 61 one tooth forward and therewith the type-Wheela like degree. The guide-arm 63 is pivoted on a pin 66. It is made witha dog 67, and controlled by a spring 68.

69 is a flat bar of nonmagnetic metal, of

the form shown and horizontally movable,

one end being carried in a guiding-slot of mally held forwaxi as shownin Fig. VII, b a coil-spring When in such position the extremity 72 ofthe member 72 will'rest on the wall-part 48 of the case 48. The bar 69is driven back by the action of the arm 74, which constitutes a part ofthe secondairy-armature '56. When .driven back by the blow of the arm74, the extremity 72' of the member 72 will drop in front of thewall-part 48, and in consequence hold the bar 69 back. See Figs. X andXIV; and the bar 69 remains in its last described posi tion, untillifted, so that it can again pass over the wall-rim 48, by a verticalpin 78, carried by the ratchet-wheel 61 being 7 brought in contacttherewith, during the return rotation of the latter. To facilitate saidaction the extremity of 72", of member 72, is made with a transverseincline 73. The extremity of the arm 74 causes the paper-tape to bepressed against the type-bars of the type-wheel, and for such purpose isprovided with a cushion face 79, of suitable material; and theimpression is marked by an inking-ribbon 75, winding and unwinding onand from spools 76, 77, also carried by the secondary armature 56. Fromthe bar 69 projects laterally and horizontally an arm (see detail Fig.XI) the underside of the extremity of which is beveled as shown. Therealso projects from the bar 69 an arm 81, the extremity 81 of which isbent down and forward, as shown in detail Fig. XI and the same is maderesilient and formed with a shoe 82 which bears upon the tape 58, and inthe forward movement of the bar 69, caused by the spring 73, moves thetape forward, relatively to the printing action. The extremity of thedog 67 is made with lug 83, adapted to coiiperate with the extremity ofthe arm 80 of the bar 69 as follows: When the latter is driven back, bythe blow of arm 74, of the secondary armature 56, the extremity of thearm 80 will pass over the lug 83, and become positioned behind thelatter as illustrated in Fig. X. When the bar 69 resumes its normalposition the arm 80 thereof will engage with the lug 83 of the dog 67,and cause an action as also illustrated in the Fig. X, that is, turningthe dog 67 to one side, and in so doing releasing the ratchet-wheel 61,which is then rotated to its initial position by its spring 65; the sidemotion of the dog 67 also causing its member 63 to pull the rod 62 outof engagement with the ratchet-wheel.

84 is a grooved-guide for the paper-tape 58; such guide is ofsemi-circular form, and in cross section of the construction shown inFig. IX, and it is aflixed to the bottom of the case 48.

85 is a leaf-spring also attached to case 48, it bears upon the tape andholds the same against being pulled back with the back-motion of the arm81'of the bar 69.

1 {eferring-now'to the peripheral sub-di- VlSlOn of the drum 1 of thesender, and noting the arrangement of the short and long contactsegments (8, 10) and the' 'relative arrangfment of the keys, it willappear that some eye when depressed will come in segment 8' and one wideand long and others with a number of short contact segments and finallywide and long keys are arranged to have contact onl with the sections ofthe drum 1, in the fol owing order: row 24 with section 1', row 24' withsection 1, row 24 with section 1*, row 24 with section 1, and row 24with section 1f.

-The depression of aprefix-key, or any of the numeral keys not in therow 24, does not release the drum 1 from its stop; thus in sending outthe call Main 5-6-8-0, the keys representing the prefix and the firstthree numerals, will be set while the drum is still at rest; but as soonas the final numeral key -0, in the row 24 is depressed, the drum 1 isreleased and will start to rotate in the direction indicated by thearrow in Figs. IV and V; and thereupon each depressed key will in turnmake-and-break the circuit the number of times corresponding 5 with itsown numeral, and cause a relative action of the primary-armature 52, ofthe recorder; and the numerals on the type-wheel 59, being alsocorrespondingly arranged.

Thus six short .contacts or intervals of 0105- ing the circuit, forexample, due to the depression of any key in the upper four rows bearingthe numeral 6, will cause the primary armature 52 to make six movements,

and move the type-wheel six teeth forward,

into position to print the sixth numeral. And in the same manner themake-andbreak action of the prefix keys 24 would vibrate the primaryarmature from 11 to 20 times and cause the type-bars of the t pewheel toprint the prefixes which f0 low those of the numerals.

It only remains to. describe the operation of the secondary armature 56.When the drum 1 of the sender in its revolution brings one of the wideand Ion contact surfaces 10 under a key, the duration of the circuit issufliciently prolonged to convert the electro- 'magnet of the recorderinto an iron clad,

or two pole magnet ofsufiicient force to attract the secondary armature56, and cause the arm 74 to strike against the type-wheel, thus makingan impression, on the tape, of the particular type in printing position.The

moment the long circuit closure is broken the bar 74 will be repelled bythe projecting member 71 of the bar 69, and the described operations maybe repeated. Thus a person having found Main 5680, desiring to recordhis call at a distant phone provided "touch only. with one wide and longcontact segment 10, others with one short contact contact segment 10;and that the rows of with the receiving art of my device, will operatehis center "by depressing the ke s as follows, readingfrom right toleft: T .e second key of the prefix row 24, the fifth key of the row 24,the sixth key of the row 24, the eighth key of the row 24, and the tenthor 0 key of the row 24. The downward movement of the last mentioned keyforces the insulation block 15 far enough down to permit the upper pointthereof to pass the stop 48, and the drum 1 then receives revolvingmotion from the propelling clock-work, bringing the wheel 23, on thelower end of the tenth key of the row 24, into contact with the firstmetal contact segment 24- (counting fro-m left to right) of theperipheral section 1 of the drum 1, and so closes an electric circuitthrough the medium of the drum 1, web 2, shaft 4, bearing 5, wire 27,and a suitable source of electric energy, on one side and the wheel 23,key stem 22, tube 21, plate 20, and wire 28 on the other side; the wires27, 28 being connected with wires 54", 54 of the recorder. The wheel ofthe depressed key of the row 24 will come in contact with ten contactsegments 8*, of the peripheral segment 1' of the drum, and thus therewill be ten impulses imparted to the recorder, and the type wheelthereof will be moved in the position to print 0. During the revolutionof the drum, the wheel, and the key depressed, will finally come intocontact with the wide contactsegment 10, which causes the armature 52 toform a connection between the bar magnet 50 and the soft iron tube 49,thus constituting an iron-clad or two-pole magnet of twice theattractive power of the magnet 50, and capable of attractin the secondarmature 56; the movement 0 which causes the arm 74, carrying the inkedribbon 75, to press the paper tape against the face of the type wheel59, making the impression 0 or last numeral of the call Main 5680 on thepaper tape. The continuing rotation of the drum bringing the wheel 23,of the depressed key of the row 24, into contact with the wideinsulating segment 9 of the peripheral portion 1 of the drum, thusbreaking the circuit; and while in contact with such segment 9, saiddepressed key is lifted and restored to its normal state. The abovedescribed operation is followed until all the four numerals of the callhave been recorded on the paper tape of the recorder; the key depressedfor printing the prefix Main making eleven makes-andbreaks, so as torotate the type wheel of the recorder sufliciently to pass over thenumerals 1 to 10 and to bring into printing position one of the seriesof ten prefixes of the printing faces with which the type wheel isprovided. The rotation of the drum 2 has now been completed, theinsulating block 15 standing in projecting osition, striking against thestop 48, and t us arresting the drum 2 in its initial position.

The principle of operation and the func-' tion of my individual senderis like that of the multiple sender. It differs only in being adapted tosend out but a single call, but in other respect must produce a makeand-break effect of the electric circuit, which ,would operate therecorder just the same, as would the multiple sender above described. Itcomprises a case 86 in which is contained a clock-work consisting ofshafts 87, 88, and a train of gears 93, 94, 95, 96. On the shaft 87 isrotatably mounted a sleeve 89 having an integral ratchet-wheel 91 withwhich engages a pawl 92 pivoted on the gear 93. The ratchet-wheel isdriven by a spring 90, one end of which is fast to the sleeve 89. On theshaft 87 is mounted a disk 97 the periphery of which is notched, asshown, to have contact with a resilient-arm 98 which is afiixed to thecase 86 by a block of insulation 99. The arm 98 and the case areelectrically connected with the circuit by wires 86, 86". \Vhen theextremity of the arm 98 is positioned in a cavity of the disk 97 thecircuit is interrupted, and when in contact with the projecting teeth ofsuch disk the circuit is closed. The devices are arranged so as tonormally interrupt the circuit, and the disk 97 is stopped, after eachrevolution, in its initial position by the pin 100, thereby carried,coming in contact with a projection 101, on the base of the stem of aspring-controlled key 102. The action of the clock-work is renderedintermittent by an escapement consisting of escape-wheel 103, andpendulum 104. The periphery of the disk 97 shown in Figs. XVI and XVIIis so arranged as to give the make-and-break effect which will cause therecorder to print the call Main 5680, the same as explained aboveconcerning the operation of my multiple sender. To adapt the individualsender to transmit any other call, the disk 97 would have to be replacedby another of which the periphery is correspondingly notched. Theindividual sender is operated by merely pressing down the key 102.

Throughout the description of my devices, I have shown and describedsuch mechanical structure suggested itself most practical for the end inview. But of course I do not wish to be understood that the precisedetails are indispensable.

I claim:

1. A device of the character specified, comprising a sender and arecorder, installed in their respective stations, and electricallyconnected with each other and the source of electric energy, the senderconstituting a rotating switch comprising a movable member divided intoconducting and non-conducting segments, a driving element adapted tooperate such movable member intermittently, a series of keysrepresenting in numerical order the symbols to be communicated, whichkeys are adapted to be normally out of electric contact with the movablemember, and to close the circuit when depressed and in contact with aconductingsegment thereof, the driving element being thrown into actionby the depression of a key, and the keys and the conducting andnon-conducting segments of the movable member being arranged, withrespect to each other, to cause a make-andbreak of the circuitrelatively to the ordinal of the key depressed; and the recordercomprising a printing mechanism, having a movable type-carrier providedwith a series of progressively arranged type-characters, correspondingwith the symbols of said keys, an electro-magnet having a movablearmature, means, operated thereby, adapted to move the type-carrierrelatively to the key depressed of the sender, and bring thetypecharacter corresponding therewith into printing position, atape-carrier, means adapted to move the tape progressively across thetype-carrier, and means, also operated by the electro-magnet, adapted toimprint on the tape the type-character in printiilg osition..

2. A evice of the character specified, comprising a sender and arecorder, installed in their respective stations, and electricallyconnected with each other and the source of electric energy, such senderconstituting a rotating switch and comprislng a frame, a rotatablemember the periphery of which is divided into conducting andnon-conducting segments, a driving element adapted to rotate suchrotatable member intermittently, means adapted to stop the rotatablemember in its initial position at the end of each rotation, a series ofkeys representing in numerical order the syncbols to be communicated,which keys are adapted to be normally out of electric contact with therotatable member and to close the circuit when depressed and in contactwith a conducting-segment thereof, the keys and the conducting andnon-conducting segments of the drum being arranged, with respect to eachother, to cause a make-andbreak of the circuit relatively to the ordinalof the key depressed, the driving element be ng adapted to be throwninto action by the depression of a key; and the recorder comprising aprinting mechanism having a movable type-carrier provided with a seriesof progressively arranged type-characters corresponding with the symbolsof said keys, an electro-magnet having a movable armature, means,operated thereby, adapted to move the type-carrier relatively to the keydepressed of the sender, and bring the type-character correspondingtherewith into printing position, a type-carrier, means adapted to movethe tape progressively across the type-carrier, and means, also operatedby the electro-Inagnet, adapted to imcomprising a sender and a recorder,installed in their respective stations, and electrically connected witheach other and the source of electric energy; such sender constituting arotating switch and comprising a frame, a rotatable member the peripheryof which is divided into conducting and non-conducting segments, adriving element adapted to rotate such rotatable member intermittently,means adapted to stop the rotatable member in its initial position atthe end of each rotation, a series of keys arranged in rows,representing the prefixes, units, tens, hundreds and thousands, forexample, of the call to be communicated; said keys being adapted to benormally out of contact with the drum and to close the circuit whendepressed and in contact with a conducting segment thereof, the rows ofkeys and the conducting segments of the drum with which they cooperatebeing arranged with respect to each other, to cause a make-and-break ofthe circuit relatively to the ordinals of the signs represented by thekeys depressed, and the driving element being adapted to be thrown intoaction by the depression of one of the keys in said unit row; and therecorder comprising a printing mechanism, having movable typecarrierprovided with a series of progressively arranged type-characters,corresponding with the symbols of said keys, an electro-magnet having amovable armature, means, operated thereby, adapted to move thetype-carrier relatively to the key depressed of the sender, and bringthe typecharacter corresponding therewith into printing position, atape-carrier, means adapted to move the tape progressively across thetype-carrier, and means also operated by the electro-magnet, adapted toimprint on the tape the type-character in printing position.

4. A device of the character specified. comprising a sender and arecorder, installed in their respective stations and electricallyconnected with each other and the source of electric energy, such senderconstituting a rotating switch and comprising a frame, a rotatable drum,the periphery of which is divided into sections having, respectively,progressively arranged conducting and nonconducting segments, a drivingelement.

adapted to rotate such drum during intermittent intervals, means adaptedto stop the drum in its initial position at the end of each rotation, aseries of keys arranged in rows representing the symbols, units, tens,hundreds and thousands, for example, of the call to be communicated.said keys being adapted to be normally out of electric contact with thedrum and to close the circuit when depressed and in contact with aconducting segment thereof, the rows of keys being positioned relativelyto the conducting segments of the respective sections of the drum withwhich they cooperate, so as to cause a make-and-break of the circuitrelatively to the ordinals of the signs represented by the keysdepressed, and the driving element being adapted to be thrown intoaction by the depression of one of the keys in said unit row; and therecorder comprising a printing mechanism having movable type-carrierprovided with a series of progressively arranged type-characters,corresponding with the symbols of said keys, an electro-magnet having amovable armature, means, operated thereby, adapted to move thetype-carrier relatively to the key depressed of the sender, and bringthe typecharacter corresponding therewith into printing position, atape-carrier, means adapted to move the tape progressively across thetype-carrier, and means also operated by the electro-magnet, adapted toimprint on the tape the type-character in printmg position.

5. In a device of the character specified, a recorder comprising thecombination of a frame, an electro-magnet consisting of a hollow outercylinder, a longitudinally bored central core, an intermediate windingof insulated wire, a spring-controlled rod slidably inserted in saidbore of the core and carrying a primary armature, a printing mechanismcomprising a rotatable typewheel having on its periphery a series ofprogressively arranged type-characters, a type-reel, means adapted toguide the tape around the type-wheel, means, connected with the primaryarmature, adapted to rotate the type-wheel progressively so as to bringthe type-character expressing the sign to be communicated into printingposition, means adapted to move the tape cooperatively tothe rotation ofthe type-wheel, means adapted to temporarily hold the type-wheel in theposition to which it is progressively moved, a secondary armature hingedto the cylinder of the electro-magnet and arranged to be attracted whenthe outer cylinder of said electro-magnet becomes charged for asufiicient interval, means operated by such secondary armature, adaptedto imprint on the tape the type-character in printing position, andmeans adapted to return the type wheel to its initial position aftereach imprint.

6. In a device of the character s ecified,

a recorder comprising the combination of a ing on its periphery a seriesof progressively arranged type-characters, a stop arranged to arrest thetype-wheel in its initial position,

a tape-reel, means adapted to guide the tape around the type-wheel, anectro-magnet and a movable armature mounted on said frame, alongitudinally slidable, s ring-controlled, bar 69 made with lateral yprojecting members 80, 81, a ratchet-wheel fast on the type-wheel, alongitudinally arranged rod 62 carried by said armature, and adapt ed toengage with said ratchet-wheel, a spring-controlled pivoted dog 63, alsoengaging with said ratchet-wheel, connected with said rod (52 andadapted to temporarily hold the type-wheel in the position to which itis progressively moved, a beveled lug on the dog 63 with which themember 80 of the bar 62 is thrown into contact upon the reverse movementof such bar 62, so as to move said dog 67 and simultaneously the rod ()2out of engagement with said ratchet-wheel, an arm 81 carried by themember 81 of the bar 69 and adapted to progressively move the tapeduring the reciprocations of such bar (19, means operated by theelectro-magnet adapted to imprint on the tape the type-character inprinting positlon, means, cooperating with said imprinting means,adapted to move the bar 69 reversely simultaneously with each imprint,so as to release the type-wheel and allow the same to reassume itsinitial position, and means adapted to hold the bar (39 during thereturn rotation of the type-wheel.

7. In a device of the character specified, a recorder comprising thecombination of a printing mechanism consisting of a frame, aspring-controlled rotatable type -wheel having on its periphery a seriesof progressively arranged type-characters, a stop arranged to arrest thetype-wheel in its initial position, a tape-reel, means adapted to guidethe tape around the type wheel; an electromagnet and a movable armaturemounted on said frame; a longitudinally slidable springcontrolled bar 69made with a tongue 72 having a bent part 72*, a projecting member 71,and laterally projecting members 80, 81, a ratchet-wheel fast on thetype-wheel, a longitudinally arranged rod 62 carried by said armature,and adapted to engage with said ratchet-wheel, a spring-controlledivoted dog 63 also engaging with said ratchet-- wheel, connected withsaid rod 62 and adapted to temporarily hold the type-wheel in theposition to which it is progressively moved, a beveled lug on the dog 63with which the member 80 of the bar 69 is thrown into contact upon thereverse movement of such bar, so as to move said dog 67 andsimultaneously the rod 2 out of engagement with said ratchet-wheel, anarm 81* carried by the member 81 of the bar 9 and adapted toprogressively move the tape during the 69 durin reci rocations of suchbar 69, means opera by the eleetro-magnet adapted to imprint on the tapethe type-character in printing position, the imprinting means beingarranged to bear, while in action, against the member 71. of the bar 69,and cause the latter to make a reverse movement, thereby releasing thetype-wheel and allowing the same to reassume its initial position, andthe tongue 72 being adapted to drop in front of a frame abutment, so asto hold the bar the interval of the return rotation of t e type-wheeland the latter being made with a pin arranged to lift the tongue 72 whenthe type-wheel has regained its initial position, so as to release thebar 69 and allow the same to regain its normal position.

8. In a device of the character specified, a recorder comprising thecombination of a printing mechanism consisting of a frame, aspring-controlled rotatable type-wheel having on its periphery a seriesof progressively arranged type-characters, a stop arranged to arrest thetype-Wheel in its initial position, a tape-reel, means adapted to guidethe tape around the type-wheel, an electro-magnet consisting of a hollowouter cylinder, a longitudinally bored central core, an intermediatewinding of insulated wire, a spring-controlled rod slidably inserted insaid bore of the core, and carrying a primary armature; a longitudinallyslidable spring-controlled bar 69, made with a tongue 72 having a bentpart 72, a projecting member 71, and laterally projecting members 80,81; a ratchetwheel fast on the type-wheel; a longitudinally arranged rod62 carried by sald primary armature, and adapted to engage with saidratchet-Wheel, a spring-controlled pivoted dog 63 also engaging withsaid ratchetwheel, connected with said rod 62 and adapted to temporarilyhold the type-wheel in the position to which it is progressively moved,a beveled lug on the dog 63 with which the member 80 of the bar 69 isthrown into con-v tact upon the reverse movement of such bar, so as tomove said dog 67 and simultaneously the rod 62 out of engagement withsaid ratchet-wheel, an arm 81 carried by the member 81 of the bar 69 andadapted to progressively move the tape during the reciprocations of suchbar 69, a secondary armature hinged to the cylinder of theelectro-magnet and arranged to be attracted when the outer cylinder ofsaid electro-magnet becomes charged for a sufficient interval, an arm 74on said secondary armature, such arm being made with a printing head 79,means holding an inking ribbon across the face of such printing head 79,the imprinting means being arranged to bear, while in action, againstthe member 71 of the bar 69, and cause the same to make a reversemovement, thereby releasing the type-Wheel and allowing the same toreassume its initial position, and the tongue 72 being adapted to dropin front of a frame abutment, so as to hold the bar 69 during theinterval of the return rotation of the type-wheel, the latter being madewith a pinlarranged to lift the tongue 72 when the type-wheel hasregained its initial position, so as to release the bar 69 and allow thesame to regain its normal position.

9. In a device of the character specified, a sender comprising a frame,a rotatable drum, theperiphery of which is divided into sections havingeach an alternating, progressivel arranged series of conducting andnon-con ucting segments, a series of vertically movable,spring-controlled keys, arranged in rows and representing in progressiveorder the symbols of a system of communication, said keys being adaptedto be normally out of contact with the drum and to close the circuitwhen depressed and in contact with a conducting segment thereof, therows of keys and the conducting segments of the drum with which theycooperate being arranged, with respect to each other, to cause amake-and-break of the circuit relatively to the ordinals of the signsrepresented by the keys depressed, means adapted to temporarily hold thekeys when depressed and means adapted to release the keys again, duringthe rotation of the drum, a driving element adapted to rotate the drumduring intermittent intervals; means adapted to stop the drum in itsinitial position at the end of each rotation, said driving element beingadapted to be thrown into action 'by the depression of one of the keysin the unit row.

10. In a device of the character specified, a sender comprising a frame,a rotatable drum, the periphery of which is divided into sections havingeach an alternating, progressively arranged series of conducting andnon-conducting segments, the last conducting segment of each seriesbeing adapted to afford longer contact than the preceding, and having atangential rise; a series of vertically movable, spring-controlled keys,arranged in rows and representing in progressive order the symbols of asystem of communication, said keys being adapted to be normally out ofcontact with the drum and to close the circuit when depressed and incontact with a conducting segment thereof, the rows of keys and theconducting segments of the drum with which they cooperate beingarranged, with respect to each other, to cause a make-and-break of thecircuit relatively to the ordinals of the signs represented by the keysdepressed, and said sections of the drum being made to progressivelyrecede, so that the depressed keys will close the circuit in propersuccession; a spring-catch adapted to hold the keys when depressed untilbrought into contact with a tangential rise of the drum during thelatters rotation,. a driving element 1 adapted to rotate the drum duringintermittent intervals; and means adapted to stop the drum in itsinitial position at the end of each rotation, said driving element beingadapted to be thrown into action by the depression of one of the keys inthe unit row.

11. In a device of the character specified, a sender comprising a frame,a rotatable drum, the periphery of which is divided into sections havingeach an alternating, progressively arranged series of conducting andnon-conducting segments, a series of vertically movable,spring-controlled keys, arranged in rows and representing in progressiveorder the symbols of a system of communication, said keys being adaptedto be normally out of contact with the drum and to close the circuitwhen depressed and in contact with a conducting segment thereof, therows of keys and the conducting segments of the drum with which theycooperate being arranged, with respect to each other, to cause amakeand-break of the circuit relatively to the ordinal of the signsrepresented by the keys depressed, means adapted to temporarily hold thekeys when depressed and means adapted to release the keys again, duringthe rotation of the drum, :1 driving clement adapted to rotate the drumduring intermittent intervals; means adapted to stop the drum in itsinitial position at the end of each rotation, said driving element beingadapted to be thrown into action by the depression of one of the keys inthe unit row; in combination with a recorder comprising a printingmechanism having a movable type-carrier provided with a series ofprogressively arranged typecharacters, an electromagnet having a movablearmature, means, operated thereby, adapted to move the type-carrier soas to bring the type-characters expressing the symbol to be communicatedinto printing position, a tape-carrier, means adapted to move the tapeprogressively across the typecarrier, and means, also operated by theelectro-magnet, adapted to imprint on the tape the type-character inprinting position.

12. In a device of the character specified. a sender comprising a frame,a rotatable drum, the periphery of which is divided into sections havingeach an alternating, progressively arranged series of conducting andnon-conducting segments, the last conducting segment of each seriesbeing adapted to afford greater contact than the preceding, and having atangential rise; a series of vertically movable, spring controlled keys,arranged in rows and representing in progressive order the symbols of asystem of communication, said keysbeing adapted to be normally out ofcontact with the drum and to close the circuit when depressed and incontact with a conducting segment thereof, the rows of keys and theconducting se ments of the drum with which they cooperate beingarranged, with respect to each other, to cause a make-and-break of thecircuit relatively to the ordinals of the signs represented by the keysdepressed, and said sections of the drum being made to progressivelyrecede, so that the depressed keys will close the circuit in propersuccession; a spring-catch adapted to hold the keys when depressed untilbrought into contact with a tangential rise of the drum during thelatters rotation, a driving element adapted to rotate the drum duringintermittent intervals; means adapted to stop the drum in its initialposition at the end of each rotation, said driving element being adaptedto be thrown into action by the depression of one of the keys in theunit row; in combination with a recorder comprising a frame, anelectro-magnet consisting of a hollow outer'cylinder, a longitudinallybored central core, an intermediate winding of insulated Wire, aspring-control rod slidably inserted in said bore of the core andcarrying a primary armature, a printing mechanism comprising a rotatablety c-wheel having on its periphery a series 0 progressively arrangedtypecharacters, a tape-reel, means adapted to guide the tape around thetype wheel, means, connected with the primary armature, adapted torotate the type-wheel progressively so as to bring the type-characterexpressing the sign to be communicated into printing position, meansadapted to move the tape cooperatively to the rotation of thetype-wheel, means adapted to temporarily hold the type-wheel in theposition to which it is progressively moved, a secondary armature hingedto the cylinder of the electromagnct and arranged to be attracted whenthe outer cylinder of said electro-magnet becomes charged for asufiicient interval; means, operated by such secondary armature, adaptedto imprint on the tape the type character in printing position, andmeans adapted to return the type-wheel to its initial position aftereach imprint.

13. A sender adapted to the purpose specified, constituting a multipleswitch and comprising an operable member made of conducting material,the outer surface thereof having a plurality of raised contact-segmentsarranged parallel in groups spaced apart from each other, and a coatingof insulating material filling the spaces between said contact-segments,a driving element adapted to operate such movable member intermittently,a series of keys representing in numerical order the symbols to becommunicated, which keys are adapted to be normally out of electriccontact with said operable member, and to close the circuit whendepressed against a conducting segment thereof, ".the driving elementbeing thrown into action by the depression of a specified, constitutikey, and the keys and conductin segments of the operable member being arangged to cause a make-and-break of the circuit relatively to theordinal of thekey depressed.

14. A sender adapted to the purpose a multiple switch and comprising acylin rical rotatable member made of conducting material, the outersurface thereof having a plurality of raised contactsegments arrangedparallel in groups spaced a art from each other, and a coating of insating material filling the s aces between said contact-segments, ariving element adapted to operate such cylindrical rotatable memberintermittently,

ment thereof, the driving element being 25 thrown into action by thedepression of a key, and the keys and conducting segments of thecylindrical rotatable member being 7 arranged to cause a make-and-breakof the circuit relatively to the ordinal of the key 30 depressed.

FRANK A. LATHROP.

Witnesses:

T. J. GEISLER, Oren. LONG.

communicated, 20

